


Puzzle Problems

by TheBeeThatHums



Series: Sherlock One Shots [6]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Insecure!Reader, John Loses a Bet, Sherlock Apologizes, Sherlock Holmes is a Bit Not Good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-01-19
Packaged: 2019-10-12 13:07:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17468159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheBeeThatHums/pseuds/TheBeeThatHums
Summary: Sherlock does your morning Sudoku and all your insecurities bubble to the surface.





	Puzzle Problems

“One… no, it doesn’t fit… hmm…” you thought aloud in a quiet mumble, your eyes scanning the paper with an intense concentration. You spotted something and gave a little triumphant grin, filling a nine into one of the small boxes before victoriously rewarding your success with bacon.

John chuckled from across the table, reading his own section of the paper as you worked on the Sudoku puzzle in yours. It was a habit you’d both gotten into since you’d moved into their spare bedroom, you and John both got up at reasonable hours, switched off making breakfast, and then sat and split the paper.

He always read the news and you went for the crosswords and Sudoku, you liked the challenge and, while the crossword often went unfinished, you were fairly good at Sudoku. It kept your mind sharp for whatever challenges Sherlock was sure to get the three of you into.

You started scanning again, writing in a succession of numbers the nine had made apparent, when Sherlock shuffled in and you looked up to offer him a grin, “Tea or coffee this morning Sherly?”

He glared at you for your chipper tone and you chuckled, “Coffee it is then.”

You set down your pen and paper and got up to fix him something highly caffeinated to improve his mood, humming happily as you thought over the next set of numbers in your head before completing your task and turning to hand him his cup. He took it and tilted his head back to accept the kiss you were inevitably going to give him, which you did, grinning as you pressed your lips to his.

John raised his eyes from his paper, “I’m never going to get used to that.”

You giggled sliding back into your chair, you and Sherlock had been participating in this little ‘experiment’ for around five months now and surprisingly, after a bit of awkwardness, he was fairly good at it. You stuck a forkful of egg in your mouth and then scooped up your pen to continue working, only to drop it a second later with a frown, “What the bloody…”

John looked up from his paper just as you gave Sherlock the most murderous look he’d ever seen from you, sending a shiver down his spine as you growled, “Sherlock, Did you finish my Sudoku?”

The man just shrugged, focused on the section of the newspaper he’d scooped up, “Obviously. It was child’s play.”

You grabbed your barely touched breakfast and practically threw the plate in the sink before storming out to go into your room, slamming the door behind you.

“Did you have to do that?” John snapped, setting down his paper.

 

Sherlock didn't even look up, “Puzzles like that are for the simple-minded. I did her a favor.”

John gave Sherlock a dumbfounded look, “Sherlock… (F/n) does that puzzle every morning.”

The man’s eyes shot up, “What?”

“It’s part of her morning routine, she even makes time to do it when we have a case. How did you not notice that?”

Sherlock had, in fact, not noticed, he usually wasn’t up this early and if he was, he was otherwise distracted by an experiment or a case. You came out of your room fully dressed and quickly yanked on your shoes, causing John’s eyes to widen, “(F/n), where are you going?”

“Anywhere but here.” You snapped.

John got up to trail after you as you grabbed your coat and scarf from the banister, “But it’s snowing outside, the reports say it might even turn into a blizzard.”

You didn’t even pause, throwing open the door and letting in a whoosh of frigid air and a smattering of white snow puffs, “I don’t care.”

The front door slammed behind you and John forcefully exhaled, “Shit.”

He quickly climbed the stairs, fully intending to go after you, and ran into Sherlock coming down them, jacket already on and scarf wrapped around his neck, “Not you too.”

Sherlock rolled his eyes, “I’m only going to bring her back before she freezes, John.”

John huffed as he watched the consulting detective walk out the door, hoping that you both would come back before the snow got worse. You had gotten pretty far in a short amount of time but Sherlock could still see you off in the distance and even if he couldn’t the way you sloshed through the snow left a distinctive trail.

He caught up to you quickly, grabbing your arm to tug you back to the flat as the snow had already picked up along with a cutting wind. You yanked away from him so forcefully you tumbled into a nearby snowdrift and from its depths you let out a frustrated yell. Sherlock’s face appeared above yours, a glimmer of concern showing on his arrogant face, but you just glared at him, “Leave me. If it gets worse, I’ll just bury myself like those husky dogs do to keep warm.”

You could hear his deep rumbling chuckle before he got a firm grip on your forearm and forced you to get up out of the snow. By now your back and legs were soaked and you were determinedly fighting the urge to shiver as you glared up at him, “I hate you.”

He smirked, laughter in his eyes, “No you don’t.”

Your willpower broke down, a violent shiver causing your body to tremble and your teeth to chatter, and you couldn’t help but lean into him when he tucked you under one of his warm arms, “I’m still mad at you.”

This time you could not only hear but feel his chuckle as well, the sound reverberating through your body from where it made contact with his, “I’m serious Sherlock.”

He pulled away from you, taking his warmth with him to your dismay, and placed a hand on either shoulder to look at you with a sudden intensity, “I did your morning puzzle. I hardly think that’s cause for anger of this degree or you being reckless by going out in a snowstorm. What’s really bothering you?”

Your angry expression fell into a frown, “I just like to do Sudoku in the morning, Sherlock.”

He shook his head, “It’s more than that. Tell me.”

You sighed, “I just… I want to keep my mind sharp because I worry that one day you’ll lose interest in me because I can’t keep up with you.”

One hand moved to your cheek, “No one can keep up with me, darling.”

You pulled away from him and started to walk back towards the flat, “That’s just it, Sherlock, I know there’s no way I can keep up with you, so how long is it before you discard me like all the other things that you think dull? A month? Two? A year?”

A few strides of his long legs and he was in front of you again, “God you’re an idiot. You are not and never will be dull to me, (F/n).”

You scrunched up your face and pushed past him, climbing the steps to the flat and swinging the door open to step through it before shutting it in his face. You were a good way up the stairs when the door opened again and Sherlock slammed it before coming after you, yelling, “If you would just wait one minute, (F/n)! Nearly everyone is an idiot. You know that.”

The noise had caught John’s attention and he came to see what was going on just as Sherlock grabbed your arm roughly and you turned to yell at him, “You’re right. Everyone is an idiot to you, Sherlock, at least some of us try to be more but in the end, it’s never enough is it?!” 

He opened his mouth to yell back but your face dissolved into such unbridled sadness that instead he used the hand on your arm to pull you to him, wrapping his arms around you, “It is enough (F/n). You are enough. You’re an idiot but you’re my idiot and that will never change.”

“Do you mean that?” you asked, pulling back to look at his face.

He smirked, “Obviously. I’m sorry I did your Sudoku.”

Your eyes went wide and you opened your mouth to comment on his apology but he silenced you by pressing a kiss to your lips, “I won’t ever do it again.”

You smirked, playfully slapping his chest, “You better not. Do you think John heard all that?”

Sherlock gave a slight nod, raising a questioning eyebrow at you as you grinned wickedly, “I bet him fifty pounds that he would witness you apologizing before the year was out.”

Sherlock let out a laugh as you called up the stairs, “I win John! Pay up!”

You both could hear John groan, “Bloody hell. That was supposed to be a sure thing!”

You pressed another kiss to Sherlock’s lips and you both dissolved into a fit of giggles as you ascended the stairs to claim your winnings.


End file.
